DNS-over-HTTPS Enabled via Registry

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Identifies when a user enables DNS-over-HTTPS. This can be used to hide internet activity or the process of exfiltrating data. With this enabled, an organization will lose visibility into data such as query type, response, and originating IP, which are used to determine bad actors.

Rule type: eql

Rule indices:

  • winlogbeat-*
  • logs-endpoint.events.*
  • logs-windows.*
  • endgame-*

Severity: low

Risk score: 21

Runs every: 5m

Searches indices from: now-9m (Date Math format, see also Additional look-back time)

Maximum alerts per execution: 100

References:

Tags:

  • Domain: Endpoint
  • OS: Windows
  • Use Case: Threat Detection
  • Tactic: Defense Evasion
  • Data Source: Elastic Endgame
  • Data Source: Elastic Defend

Version: 105

Rule authors:

  • Austin Songer

Rule license: Elastic License v2

Investigation guide

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Rule query

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registry where host.os.type == "windows" and event.type in ("creation", "change") and
  (registry.path : "*\\SOFTWARE\\Policies\\Microsoft\\Edge\\BuiltInDnsClientEnabled" and
  registry.data.strings : "1") or
  (registry.path : "*\\SOFTWARE\\Google\\Chrome\\DnsOverHttpsMode" and
  registry.data.strings : "secure") or
  (registry.path : "*\\SOFTWARE\\Policies\\Mozilla\\Firefox\\DNSOverHTTPS" and
  registry.data.strings : "1")

Framework: MITRE ATT&CKTM